News.Bytes, Bureau of Land Management California ISSUE 736 - AUGUST 4, 2016 - Wildfire and Tree Mortality - Discover the Coast - Headlines and Highlights - BLM and DOI Highlights - Wildlife Question of the Week - Upcoming Events WILDFIRE AND TREE MORTALITY BLM Forms Tree Mortality Fire Prevention and Education Team Faced with thousands of acres of dead trees that have contributed to devastating wildfires in the Sierras, the Bureau of Land Management has formed a team to determine how to manage the dead trees to minimize wildfire risk and protect the public. The Tree Mortality Fire Prevention and Education Team is developing a risk assessment and implementation plan. The team, which is meeting at the BLM Mother Lode Field Office for the next two weeks, consists of wildland fire and mitigation specialists from across the country. The Mother Lode Field Office is facing one of the largest tree mortality events in recent history. Approximately one third of its land, nearly 60,000 acres, has been affected with conifer mortality. (BLM News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,be3c,a7dz,1bct,ijo3 Related: Tree Mortality Task Force (CA.gov website) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,64ji,55g1,1bct,ijo3 Fire Restrictions Start Aug. 5 on BLM-Managed Public Lands Seasonal restrictions on the outdoor use of fire and firewood cutting begin Friday, August 5, on public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management in northeast California and far northwest Nevada. The restrictions apply to lands managed by the BLM’s Eagle Lake and Applegate field offices and the Surprise Field Station in Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Sierra, Shasta, Siskiyou and Washoe counties. (BLM News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,cpct,g3o7,1bct,ijo3 Agency Specialists, Researchers Study Baker Cypress Regeneration Specialists from the Northern California District’s Redding and Applegate field offices joined Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service counterparts from northern California and southern Oregon recently for field discussions about the apparent low rates of regeneration in stands of rare Baker cypress trees. (News.Bytes story) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,409f,26ji,1bct,ijo3 Video: The Heart of a Firefighter The men and women involved in Fire and Aviation Management well represent the pride exemplified by all land managers in "caring for the land and serving people." This video portrays the brave wildland firefighters of all federal, state and local agencies serving to protect millions of acres of our forests, our communities and our natural resources. (U.S. Forest Service YouTube) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,9tho,g1er,1bct,ijo3 DISCOVER THE COAST Online reservations began August 3rd for Piedras Blancas Light Station Visit Recreation.gov and search "Piedras Blancas" to plan your next trip. The Piedras Blancas Light Station is a historic landmark on California’s central coast. Located on a rugged windswept point of land 6 miles north of Hearst Castle along California’s scenic Highway One, the Lighthouse was first illuminated in 1875, and today beckons the visitor a respite from the modern world. (BLM California Facebook) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,3kfj,k4ax,1bct,ijo3 Related: Piedras Blancas lighthouse reservations offered online (The Tribune) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,l6u1,34ed,1bct,ijo3 ‘Discover the Coast’ at annual event in Point Arena The Press Democrat, August 3, 2016 The Point Arena-Stornetta Unit of the California Coastal National Monument is a glorious place to visit on any day, offering breathtaking views of the rugged coastline and a diverse variety of features offshore. But touring the property this Saturday, Aug. 6, during the annual Discover the Coast celebration, offers special perks available just once a year. The daylong event will include opportunities to explore the 1,665-acre parcel in the southwest corner of Mendocino County and to hike the 3 1/2 mile-long Discovery Trail along the coastal frontage, between the picturesque Point Arena Lighthouse on the north and City Hall on the south. Read full story http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,an63,7wow,1bct,ijo3 Generation Green Shines in Trinidad Trinidad Coastal Land Trust (TCLT) and the Arcata Field Office teamed up with Generation Green Youth Conservation Corps. TLCT manages several north coast beaches that provide excellent viewing opportunities of the California Coastal National Monument. TCLT is one of several important Monument partners in the Trinidad Area. (News.Bytes story) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,lfgo,1f64,1bct,ijo3 Welcome to Week 8 of the virtual #mypubliclandsroadtrip 2016 - Places to Beat the Heat Last week, #mypubliclandsroadtrip visited BLM-managed lands on the way to some of the country’s most popular recreation spots. From August 1-7, #mypubliclandsroadtrip visits places on America’s public lands where you can beat the summer heat – from favorite ocean spots to out-of-the way lakes and streams. (My Public Lands Tumblr) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,93ja,akr8,1bct,ijo3 Related: New story books that recap roadtrip stops (Steller) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,61ej,g6n6,1bct,ijo3 Related: Extreme Public Lands (Esri storymap journal) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,6pnp,g1dg,1bct,ijo3 HEADLINES AND HIGHLIGHTS 10 great rail-trails across the USA Bizz Johnson National Recreation Trail made USA TODAY's "10 great rail-trails across the USA"! In 1978, Southern Pacific Railroad abandoned most of the old Fernley and Lassen Railroad branch line, which had carried lumber and passengers from 1914 until operations ended in 1956. BLM spearheaded the “rails-to-trails” conversion of the old railroad grade with the support of former Congressman Harold T. “Bizz” Johnson, who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1958-1980. Today, the 30-mile trail is used by hikers, mountain bikers, equestrians, and cross-country skiers. For the first 16 miles, the trail follows the Susan River. As it winds through the rugged Susan River Canyon, the trail crosses the river 12 times on bridges and trestles and passes through two tunnels. (USA TODAY website) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,ad85,hokq,1bct,ijo3 Deep in the Mojave Desert lies a secret memorial to fallen motorcycle riders Los Angeles Times, July 29, 2016 The shrine is known as the Husky Memorial or Husky Monument. It cradles testamentary stones and statues honoring dozens of riders — men and women. Circular and 60 feet across at its widest point, with a tattered American flag snapping in the wind, it’s sacred to Southern California motorcyclists, especially those who ride in the desert. It’s not marked on any map, and it’s 15 miles from the nearest paved road and 30 from the nearest town, but serious riders always find a way to make a pilgrimage there. Husky Memorial sits in the middle of a massive swath of land controlled by the federal Bureau of Land Management. Read full story http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,gexe,ee0s,1bct,ijo3 Whitehorn woman sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment for environmental damage from marijuana grow on National Conservation Land YubaNet.com, August 2, 2016 Melinda Van Horne was sentenced today to 12 months and a day in prison for damaging national conservation land through her marijuana cultivation operation. Van Horne purchased a house next to Paradise Ridge in Humboldt County, Calif. Paradise Ridge is part of a congressionally designated National Conservation Area administered by the Bureau of Land Management for the conservation and protection of public lands for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations. Her grow operation caused substantial damage to the protected area. Read full story http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,klf5,m7uo,1bct,ijo3 Secret marijuana gardens target of eradication campaign on North Coast The Press Democrat, August 1, 2016 Lake County’s 1,329 square miles are rural and wild. About half are public lands, mostly in Mendocino National Forest. County officials, including Sheriff Brian Martin, say it’s one of the top marijuana producers in the state. It is a hard claim to verify for an industry that sources marijuana from a wide variety of places, from six pot plants in grandma’s garden to illicit plots hidden in the remote mountains. But state marijuana eradication reports regularly put Lake County at the top. So far this season, its sheriff’s detectives have destroyed 160,000 pot plants. The vast majority — except for “a couple thousand” — were from what Walsh calls “mountain gardens,” cannabis farms hidden in remote areas of private or public lands. Read full story http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,jwu3,jahk,1bct,ijo3 Why utilities and environmentalists are teaming up against the solar industry The Desert Sun, July 29, 2016 Environmentalists don’t always see eye to eye with Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric, California’s two largest utilities. But some of the state’s most influential environmental groups have joined forces with the utilities to support a massive conservation and clean energy plan, in the face of opposition from the solar and wind industries. Read full story http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,2bcd,3kso,1bct,ijo3 BLM AND DOI HIGHLIGHTS Kristin Bail Named Assistant Director for Renewable Resources and Planning The Bureau of Land Management announced that it is appointing a veteran public land manager to a key leadership position by selecting Kristin Bail as the agency’s Assistant Director for Renewable Resources and Planning in Washington, D.C. Bail is currently leading the Bureau’s National Conservation Lands and Community Partnerships office, which oversees the BLM’s 30 million acres of National Conservation Lands. She has 32 years of public service with the BLM and the U.S. Forest Service in Oregon, Arizona and North Carolina, where she was Forest Supervisor overseeing operations at four National Forests. (BLM News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,4qfl,h8r0,1bct,ijo3 BLM Sets Meeting of National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board for September in Elko, Nevada The Bureau of Land Management’s National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board will meet September 8-9, 2016, in Elko, Nevada, to discuss issues relating to the management and protection of wild horses and burros on Western public rangelands. The two-day meeting will take place on Thursday, September 8, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m., and Friday, September 9, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The meeting will be live-streamed at http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,3wj0,eq30,1bct,ijo3 (BLM News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,52wp,ljl4,1bct,ijo3 Secretary Jewell Joins Pennsylvania Leaders to Kick Off Innovative Reclamation Project to Help Revitalize Coal Country U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management Janice Schneider and Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) Director Joe Pizarchik joined Pennsylvania state and community leaders to launch an inaugural coal mine reclamation project that helps coal miners get back to work, while also eliminating safety hazards and air and stream pollution from previously abandoned coal mines. Inspired by the POWER+ budget proposal put forward by President Obama, Congress appropriated $90 million for the Abandoned Mine Lands Economic Revitalization (AMLER) Pilot Program, equally divided among the coal producing states of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Kentucky. (Department of Interior News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,7saz,8cit,1bct,ijo3 Related: Secretary Jewell to Join Pennsylvania Officials & Break Ground on Innovative Reclamation Project to Help Revitalize Coal Country (Department of Interior News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,gbun,hyp9,1bct,ijo3 Getting Youth Outdoors in 50 Cities Across the U.S. Youth are more disconnected from nature than ever before. To help change that, Interior is leading a nationwide movement to inspire millions of young people in urban areas to play, learn, serve and work in the great outdoors. The Let’s Move! Outside program, started by First Lady Michelle Obama, funds AmeriCorps members at YMCAs in 50 cities across the country to build partnerships with community organizations and state and federal public lands in the area to get more youth outside. (Department of Interior blog) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,a262,jdpl,1bct,ijo3 Related: Interior Department Selects Omaha as Priority City to Connect Youth to the Outdoors (Department of Interior News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,2hji,lb16,1bct,ijo3 Related: Secretary Jewell, Mayor Jean Stothert to Make Major Youth Initiative Announcement to Benefit Omaha (Department of Interior News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,glw1,khyf,1bct,ijo3 Ghosts of the Prairie: The Reintroduction of the Black-footed Ferret Black-footed ferrets — agile creatures with masked faces and droopy whiskers — once roamed the prairies in 12 western states, stretching from Canada to Mexico. By the 1960s, their numbers had plummeted because of habitat loss, a decline in prey and plague. But with the help of a farm dog and years of recovery efforts, these nocturnal mammals have made their way back home. (Department of Interior blog) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,g6sm,4ct9,1bct,ijo3 Video: This Week at Interior July 29, 2016 A new wildfire warning system for drones; the Secretary visits Grand Canyon National Park; USGS detects natural gas hydrates offshore India; events announced to mark the National Park Service’s centennial; BOEM’s Director visits Virginia Beach; and meeting some of Pokemon’s real life American cousins. (Department of Interior YouTube) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,9hjs,g7zw,1bct,ijo3 WILDLIFE QUESTION OF THE WEEK Bears do more than just play in the water, they play on land. So, with football season upon us, which school's mascot is not a bear? a) University of California b) University of Maine c) Missouri State University d) California Polytechnic State University e) Brown University Keep reading for answer below UPCOMING EVENTS August 6: Celebrate Point Arena-Stornetta Unit of California Coastal National Monument Come join us on August 6th for the 2016 Discover the Coast celebration at the Point Arena-Stornetta unit of the California Coastal National Monument. Hike the 3.5 mile Discovery Trail. Visit the Mendocino College Coastal Field Station Tour the Point Arena Lighthouse. (BLM website) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,ltvp,a7v,1bct,ijo3 August 7: Trinidad Lighthouse Opens Tours of the historic Trinidad Head Lighthouse and living history presentations about the demanding life of the light keeper's family will be offered in a free open house Sunday, August 7, at the lighthouse site on Trinidad Head. Tours will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (BLM News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,1q1c,alg1,1bct,ijo3 August 19-21: Horses, Burros Available for Adoption in Grass Valley Residents of the Grass Valley area will have the opportunity to add a horse or burro to their families when the Bureau of Land Management brings its Wild Horse and Burro Adoption Program to the Nevada County Fairgrounds, 11228 McCourtney Road, Grass Valley, Saturday and Sunday, August 20-21. The BLM will offer 30 horses, mostly yearlings, and 10 burros for public adoption. Anyone interested can preview the animals when they arrive at about 3 p.m. on Friday, August 19. (BLM News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,wfx,m5w9,1bct,ijo3 WILDLIFE QUESTION OF THE WEEK ANSWER Bears do more than just play in water, they play on land. So, with football season upon us, which school’s mascot is not a bear? d) California Polytechnic State University They are the Cal Poly Mustangs! Related: Family of Bears Enjoys Outing at California Lake (ABC News) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2lp9t,3xn3,fh7b,i6s5,1bct,ijo3 News.Bytes is a publication of the Bureau of Land Management California. Bureau of Land Management California State Office 2800 Cottage Way, Suite W1623 Sacramento, Ca 95825 (916) 978-4600 www.blm.gov/ca/ Send Comments to the News.Bytes Team | Subscribe to News.Bytes | View our Privacy Policy To unsubscribe, send an email to: unsubscribe-183567@xxxxxxxxxxx
